"The Nepenthaceae of the Netherlands Indies" is a seminal monograph by B. H. Danser on the tropical pitcher plants of the Dutch East Indies and surrounding regions. [1] It was originally published in the Bulletin du Jardin Botanique de Buitenzorg in 1928, [1] and reprinted by Natural History Publications (Borneo) in 2006. [2]
Danser focused on species native to the Dutch East Indies, North Borneo, the Malay Peninsula, and eastern New Guinea (an area roughly corresponding to Malesia minus the Philippines); species from outlying areas were only mentioned in the general discussion. [1] [note a]
Danser recognised 65 species in total, of which 52 were given detailed treatments. [note a] This number included 17 newly described taxa: N. carunculata (later synonymised with N. bongso ), [3] [4] N. clipeata , N. dubia , N. ephippiata , N. fusca , N. inermis , N. insignis , N. leptochila (later synonymised with N. hirsuta ), [4] [5] N. mollis , N. paniculata , N. papuana , N. pectinata (later synonymised with N. gymnamphora ), [3] [4] N. petiolata , N. pilosa , N. spectabilis , N. tobaica , and N. tomoriana . All were described in great detail, with many accompanied by line drawings. Danser synonymised N. edwardsiana with N. villosa , N. hemsleyana with N. rafflesiana , and N. ramispina with N. gracillima ; [1] [6] all three were later reinstated as valid species. [4] [7]
Following this exhaustive revision of the genus, Danser described only two more Nepenthes species: Nepenthes spathulata in 1935 [8] and Nepenthes densiflora in 1940, [9] with both descriptions also published in the Bulletin du Jardin Botanique de Buitenzorg.
Danser recognised the following 65 taxa as valid species (though some, such as N. oblanceolata , only tentatively so). [1] The 13 taxa denoted with an asterisk (*) fall outside the monograph's geographical focus and are only mentioned in its general discussion. [note a]
Danser divided the genus Nepenthes into six clades based on observations of herbarium material. The clades were the Vulgatae, Montanae, Nobiles, Regiae, Insignes, and Urceolatae. Danser's classification was undoubtedly a great improvement on previous attempts, and forms the basis for more recent monographs, such as those of Charles Clarke ( Nepenthes of Borneo and Nepenthes of Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia ) and Matthew Jebb and Martin Cheek ("A skeletal revision of Nepenthes (Nepenthaceae)" and "Nepenthaceae"). Charles Clarke writes that Danser's monograph "remains the definitive taxonomic work on Nepenthes" [3] and explains its importance as follows: [5]
The discoveries of the early 20th century were brought together by Danser and neatly integrated to shed light on many of the unsolved problems of Macfarlane's monograph. Although he did not collect the material he used, Danser seemed to have gained a good understanding of the genus, which extended beyond classical taxonomy. He speculated about the relationships between certain species on the basis of their evolution and ecology as much as their structural characteristics–something that nobody had done previously.
 | |
| Author | B. H. Danser (introduction by Charles Clarke) |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Natural History Publications (Borneo) |
Publication date | April 2006 |
| Media type | Print (hardcover) |
| Pages | vi + 206 |
| ISBN | 983-812-115-0 |
| OCLC | 78887282 |
Danser's monograph was reprinted by Natural History Publications (Borneo) in April 2006 with a 15-page introduction by ecologist and botanist Charles Clarke. [10]
The 2006 reprint was reviewed by Barry Rice in the September 2007 issue of the Carnivorous Plant Newsletter : [11]
Having a high quality copy of the work is very desirable so you can easily cross reference its contents with subsequent Nepenthes monographs. The line drawings are far more nicely presented than can be obtained from photocopied or web versions.
To add further delight to the pleasure, the famous Nepenthes expert Dr. Charles Clarke helps lead this voyage of adventure on the high seas of Nepenthes history, by prefacing the work with a fifteen page discussion of Danser—both the man and the eponymous work. With Clarke as your Admiral at the helm, Danser is more approachable than ever before.
Rice pointed out the "[u]nfortunate omissions" of Danser's 1935 and 1940 papers, but concluded by saying that "the new version of Danser (1928) is still a valuable addition to our ever-enlarging collections of carnivorous plant books". [11]
Nepenthes villosa, or the villose pitcher-plant, is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Mount Kinabalu and neighbouring Mount Tambuyukon in northeastern Borneo. It grows at higher elevations than any other Bornean Nepenthes species, occurring at elevations of over 3,200 m (10,500 ft). Nepenthes villosa is characterised by its highly developed and intricate peristome, which distinguishes it from the closely related N. edwardsiana and N. macrophylla.
Nepenthes stenophylla, or the narrow-leaved pitcher-plant, is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Borneo. The species produces attractive funnel-shaped pitchers up to 25 cm high. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Nepenthes stenophylla belongs to the loosely defined "N. maxima complex", which also includes, among other species, N. boschiana, N. chaniana, N. epiphytica, N. eymae, N. faizaliana, N. fusca, N. klossii, N. maxima, N. platychila, and N. vogelii.
Nepenthes macfarlanei is a carnivorous pitcher plant species endemic to Peninsular Malaysia. It produces attractive red-speckled pitchers. Lower pitchers are ovoid or infundibular in the lower half and globose or cylindrical above and up to 25 cm high. Upper (aerial) pitchers are of a lighter colour with wings reduced to ribs. The lower surface of the lid is densely covered with short, white hairs. This is a characteristic morphological feature of this species, but at present its function is unknown.
Nepenthes ephippiata, or the saddle-leaved pitcher-plant, is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Borneo. It occurs in the Hose Mountains of central Sarawak, as well as Mount Raya and Bukit Lesung in Kalimantan. It grows in montane forest from 1,000 to 1,900 meters elevation.
Nepenthes boschiana, or Bosch's pitcher-plant, is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Borneo. It is most closely allied to N. faizaliana. Nepenthes borneensis is considered a synonym of this species. Nepenthes boschiana has no known natural hybrids. No valid forms or varieties have been described. Nepenthes boschiana belongs to the loosely defined "N. maxima complex", which also includes, among other species, N. chaniana, N. epiphytica, N. eymae, N. faizaliana, N. fusca, N. klossii, N. maxima, N. platychila, N. stenophylla, and N. vogelii.
Nepenthes pilosa is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Borneo. It is characterised by a dense indumentum of long yellow-brown hairs. Pitchers have a distinctive hook-shaped appendage on the underside of the lid. The specific epithet derives from the Latin word pilosus, meaning "hairy".
Nepenthes mollis, or the velvet pitcher-plant, is a tropical pitcher plant species natives to Kalimantan, Borneo. It used to be known only from a single dried herbarium specimen and is the sole recognised species in the genus Nepenthes of which the pitchers are unknown. In 2019 Global Wildlife Conservation announced the rediscovery of the species.
Nepenthes hispida is a tropical pitcher plant species native to Borneo. It grows at elevations of 100 to 800 m in kerangas forest. It is known with certainty only from Lambir Hills National Park and surrounding areas.
Nepenthes angasanensis is a tropical pitcher plant species endemic to Sumatra, where it grows at an altitude of 1,400 metres (4,600 ft) to 3,100 metres (10,200 ft) above sea level. The status of this taxon is controversial as it is similar in morphology to N. mikei and N. tobaica. It has even been suggested that the taxon might represent a natural hybrid between N. densiflora and N. tobaica.
Nepenthes bongso is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Sumatra, where it has an altitudinal distribution of 1000–2700 m above sea level. The specific epithet bongso refers to the Indonesian legend of Putri Bungsu, the spirit guardian of Mount Marapi.
Nepenthes gymnamphora is a tropical pitcher plant native to the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra. It has a wide altitudinal range of 600–2,800 metres (2,000–9,200 ft) above sea level. There is much debate surrounding the taxonomic status of this species and the taxa N. pectinata and N. xiphioides.
Nepenthes sumatrana is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to the Indonesian island of Sumatra, after which it is named.
Nepenthes gracillima is a highland Nepenthes pitcher plant species, native to Peninsular Malaysia.
Nepenthes ramispina is a highland Nepenthes pitcher plant species, native to Peninsular Malaysia. It was once regarded as being similar to N. gracillima, but studies of the two species in nature have shown that they are readily distinguishable in isolation, N. gracillima being far more readily confused with N. macfarlanei in its rosette stage.
Nepenthes densiflora is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Sumatra, where it grows at an altitude of between 1700 and 3200 m above sea level.
Nepenthes beccariana is a tropical pitcher plant. The species was described in 1908 by John Muirhead Macfarlane based on a specimen collected from the island of Nias, which lies off the western coast of Sumatra. It appears to be closely related to both N. longifolia and N. sumatrana, and the former is possibly a heterotypic synonym of this taxon.
Nepenthes junghuhnii is a tropical pitcher plant native to Sumatra. This species has been the source of much confusion since its discovery. The taxon originally named N. junghuhnii by John Muirhead Macfarlane has never been formally published. In 1994, taxonomist Jan Schlauer described N. junghuhnii as a "rather dubious species based on insufficient specimens". Nepenthes junghuhniisensu Macfarlane has not been relocated in the wild since the collection of the type specimen. It is characterised by strongly petiolate leaves and appears to be most closely related to N. bongso and N. spathulata; Schlauer considers it a possible synonym of the former.
Nepenthes × harryana is the natural hybrid between N. edwardsiana and N. villosa. Its two parent species are very closely related and so N. × harryana, which is intermediate in form, may be difficult to distinguish from either of them.
Nepenthes alba is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Peninsular Malaysia. The specific epithet alba is derived from the Latin word albus, meaning "white", and refers to the colour of the upper pitchers.
"Nepenthaceae" is a monograph by John Muirhead Macfarlane on the tropical pitcher plants of the genus Nepenthes. It was published in 1908 in Adolf Engler's Das Pflanzenreich. It was the most exhaustive revision of the genus up to that point, covering all known species, and included detailed accounts of the structure, anatomy, and development of Nepenthes.